Calendula plant named ‘20123-91D’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Calendula  plant, ‘20123-91D’, that is characterized by its compact plant habit with strong stems and thick leaves, its inflorescences with double ray florets that are orange in color on the upper surface and orange suffused with greyed-purple on the lower surface, its lack of disk florets, its long flowering time; blooming for 9 months from spring into winter in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands, its very high tolerance to powdery mildew, its very high tolerance to heat and cold, withstanding temperatures below −20° C. in the winter and its ability to be readily propagated by stem cuttings.

Botanical classification: Calendula officinalis.

Variety denomination: ‘20123-91D’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with U.S. Plant Patent Applications filed for plants derived from the same breeding program that are entitled Calendula Plant Named ‘20123-29D’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/121,630) and Calendula Plant Named ‘20124-30D’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/120,524).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calendula plant, botanically known as Calendula officinalis ‘20123-91D’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘20123-91D’. The new cultivar of Calendula is an herbaceous perennial grown for container and landscape use.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Katsuta-Gun, Okayama-Pref., Japan. The overall purpose of the breeding program was to develop new cultivars of vegetatively propagated Calendula plants with low-growing and well-spreading growth habits combined with long flowering periods and a unique range of flower colors.

‘20123-91D’ was selected in the Inventor's trial garden in 2012 as a single unique plant from amongst the seedlings derived from self-crossing an unnamed and non-patented plant from the Inventor's breeding program, ref. code 20122-24D, in 2012.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings in summer of 2012 by the Inventor in Katsuta-Gun, Okayama-Pref., Japan. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘20123-91D’ as a unique cultivar of Calendula.

-   -   1. ‘20123-91D’ exhibits a compact plant habit with strong stems         and thick leaves.     -   2. ‘20123-91D’ exhibits inflorescences with double ray florets         that are orange in color on the upper surface and orange         suffused with greyed-purple on the lower surface.     -   3. ‘20123-91D’ exhibits inflorescences that lack disk florets.     -   4. ‘20123-91D’ exhibits a long flowering time; blooming for 9         months from spring into winter in Noordwijkerhout, The         Netherlands.     -   5. ‘20123-91D’ exhibits very high tolerance to powdery mildew         caused by Podosphaera xanthii.     -   6. ‘20123-91D’ exhibits very high tolerance to heat and cold,         withstanding temperatures below −20° C. in the winter.     -   7. ‘20123-91D’ is readily propagated by stem cuttings; Calendula         officinalis is typically seed propagated.

‘20123-91D’ can best be compared to plants of the Calendula seed strain ‘Alice’. ‘Alice’ differs from ‘20123-91D’ in having flowers that are larger in size, in having a shorter four month long blooming period, in being poorly branched, in being susceptible to powdery mildew, heat, and cold, and in being propagated by seed. ‘20123-91D’ can also be compared to the co-pending Calendula cultivars ‘20123-29D’ and ‘20124-30D’. ‘20123-29D’ differs from ‘20123-91D’ in having inflorescences with ray florets that are yellow-orange in color and in having a few disk florets. ‘20124-30D’ differs from ‘20123-91D’ in having inflorescences with ray florets that are more yellow in color and not suffused with greyed purple on the lower surface and in having a few disk florets. There are no cultivars of Calendula officinalis that are vegetatively propagated known to the Inventor. The Inventor has no records on the characteristics of the parent plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Calendula. The plant in the photograph is five months in age as grown outdoors in a 13-cm container in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of the plant habit of ‘20123-91D’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘20123-91D’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of ‘20123-91D’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Calendula.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of five month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in 13-cm containers in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General Description:     -   -   Blooming period.—An average of nine-months from spring into             winter in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial or annual depending on             conditions.         -   Plant habit.—Compact with strong stems and thick leaves.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 24.9 cm in height and 25.7             cm in diameter.         -   Cold Hardiness.—Observed to be hardy to U.S.D.A. Zone 7.         -   Diseases.—Has been shown to have a very high tolerance to             powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera xanthii.         -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous roots.         -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.         -   Vigor.—Vigorous.         -   Growth rate.—An average of 10 cm a month in spring. -   Stem description:     -   -   Shape.—Rounded.         -   Stem color.—143A to 143B.         -   Stem size.—An average of 17.7 cm in length and 4 mm in             diameter.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Stem aspect.—Lateral stems grow in an angle of 45° to the             main stem.         -   Stem surface.—Moderately glossy, sparsely covered with very             short soft hairs; 0.3 mm in length and to small to measure             color.         -   Stem number.—5 Lateral branches.         -   Internode length.—Average of 2.3 cm in length.         -   Branching.—Branches grow from base. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Narrow oblanceolate to narrow oblong.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Truncate, decurrent.         -   Leaf apex.—Obtuse.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color: upper surface; 147D, lower             surface; 144B.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire, undulate, moderately covered with very             short strigose hairs; average 0.4 mm in length and NN155D in             color.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf size.—Average of 7.6 cm in length and 2.8 cm in width.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 137B, young lower surface;             137C, mature upper surface; 137C to 147B, mature lower             surface; between 137D and 147B.         -   Leaf surface.—Upper surface is moderately glossy and             slightly rough to the touch, very sparsely covered with very             short strigose hairs average of 0.3 mm in length and to             small to measure color, lower surface is very slightly             glossy and slightly rough to the touch.         -   Petioles.—No petioles present, leaves are decurrent. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal capitulum consisting of ray             florets.         -   Inflorescence number.—Average of 1 per lateral stem.         -   Inflorescence fragrance.—No fragrance.         -   Inflorescence aspect.—Straight on top of stem.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—A few weeks.         -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 1.8 cm in height and 4.9 cm             in diameter.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Average of 2 per lateral stem, broad             ovate to globular in shape, average of 9 mm in length and 9             mm in diameter, color; 138A to 145A, apex is 22A with very             tip suffused with N186A.         -   Receptacle.—Flattened globular in shape, 1.5 mm in height, 3             mm in diameter and 157D in color.         -   Peduncle.—4.3 cm in length and 1.5 mm in diameter, terminal             peduncle is straight on top of stem, moderate strength,             surface is glabrous and slightly glossy and moderately             covered with short soft hairs an average of 1 mm in length             and NN155D in color.         -   Involucral bracts.—Average of 22 per inflorescence, arranged             in 2 rows, lanceolate in shape, narrowly acute apex, cuneate             base, margin entire, 7.5 mm in length, 1.5 mm in width,             upper surface is glabrous, lower surface is densely covered             with very short pubescence; average length is 0.4 mm and to             small to measure color, color; upper surface 138A, lower             surface 137B. -   Ray florets:     -   -   Number.—Average of 100.         -   Arrangement.—Rotate, 6 whorls.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Aspect.—Slightly upright at the base, held in an average             angle of 30°, whole ray floret near horizontal.         -   Size.—Average of 1.8 cm in length and 3.5 mm in width.         -   Ray floret apex.—Praemorse.         -   Ray floret base.—Narrow cuneate.         -   Ray floret margins.—Entire.         -   Ray floret surface.—Upper surface is glabrous and velvety,             lower surface is slightly glossy and slightly velvety.         -   Ray floret color.—When opening upper surface; N25B, base             25A, when opening lower surface; 25A and suffused with             N186C, when fully open upper surface; N25C, base N25C, when             fully open lower surface; N25C and suffused with N186C.         -   Disk florets.—No disc florets. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil per ray floret, 4 mm in length, stigma             unequal decurrent and 165A to 166A color, style is 2 mm in             length and 9B in color, ovary 150D in color.         -   Androecium.—No stamens present.         -   Fruit and seed.—No fruits or seeds have been observed to             date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Calendula plant named ‘20123-91D’ as described and illustrated herein. 